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Volkssporting began in
Pennsylvania with the founding of the first walking club in 1981. There
are now a number of clubs in most regions of the state. The Keystone
State Volkssport Association (KSVA) is the state representative to the American
Volkssport Association. |
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Pennsylvania abounds in
parks and forest preserves. One can enjoy the beauty and serenity of
Brandywine, the first trails of Pine Grove Furnace, Little Buffalo and French
Creek, and sections of the Appalachian Trail. Walkers and bikers have
enjoyed the quiet country roads of Lancaster County where it is commonplace to
see the Old Order Amish going about their simple lifestyle in distinctive
garb. |
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What is Volkssporting? |
The term
Volkssport - literally "folk" sport - means sport of the people. It is an
organized event for the general public. It is not a contest.
Participants go at their own pace. There are five types of events
(walk, bike, swim, skiing and snowshoeing or rollerskating). The most
popular type being: |
Volksmarches - organized walks or hikes, normally 5 to 10
kilometers (3.1 to 6.2 miles). Participants may walk, jog or run.
Each person finishing is a winner. Some walks are held in cities and can
be accomplished by persons in wheelchairs, or by families with small children
in wagons or strollers. Others are more challenging and are planned over
natural trails in parks and woods. Some have steep hills and very uneven
ground, and a few may even require ropes and other assists. Event
brochures provide descriptions of the trail, difficulty, location, and date and
time of the event. |
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Volkssporting is International It all began in southern
Germany in the early 1960's with public running races (volkslauf). These
events became so popular that, in 1968, the Internationaler Volkssportverband
(IVV) was founded by West Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria.
Other countries have joined, with many more showing interest.
Future volksmarchers may be able to walk around the world one day!
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Volkssports in the United States started in Fredericksburg,
Texas in 1976. The American Volkssport Association (AVA) was formally
organized and officially recognized by the IVV as a member country in June,
1979. The AVA has a little over 300 clubs. We put on hundreds of
events each year, promoting the benefits of physical exercise for everyone.
The primary purpose of volkssporting is exercise that anyone can enjoy
with companionship and souvenir awards as an added bonus. |
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